By Raymond C. Faircloth. The Reasons Presented for Mortal Resurrection. Did Jesus Really Rise from The Dead As a Mortal?

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1 Volume 4 Study 18 Volume 3 - Study 24 The Faithful Dead Will Be Raised Immortal By Raymond C. Faircloth There are certain groups of Christians who teach that at the first resurrection the dead will be raised with mortal bodies, then judged, and then, if deemed worthy, granted to become immortal, incorruptible, and with power. The Reasons Presented for Mortal Resurrection 1. That all descriptions in the Bible of resurrections that actually occurred were to mortality. This includes the claim that Jesus was resurrected as a mortal. 2. That before any Christian is granted immortality he/she must stand before the judgement seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10), so that either a favourable or an unfavourable judgement will be handed down to them. 3. That the Greek word egeiro means rebuilt rather than raised where the resurrection is spoken of, so that one is rebuilt into an immortal after one has stood up as a mortal in the resurrection. 4. That there are three other Scriptures to establish the mortal resurrection view:...give life to your mortal bodies (Rom. 8:11). that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh (2 Cor. 4:11)....not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life (2 Cor. 5:4). Did Jesus Really Rise from The Dead As a Mortal? While it is true that most descriptions in the Bible of resurrections that actually occurred were to mortality so that those individuals eventually died again, it is not true that Jesus resurrection was as a mortal person with the potential to die again. IN THE CASE OF RESURRECTION DOES THE GREEK WORD EGEIRO MEAN REBUILT? Perhaps only on one occasion in the New Testament does the Greek word egeiro have the meaning of rebuild, which is a process. In being challenged on this occasion: Jesus answered and said to them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise [Gk. egeiro] it up. Then the Jews said, It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise [Gk. egeiro] it up in three days? But He was speaking of the temple of His body (John 2:19-21). However, Jesus challengers here misunderstood most of what he meant. So Jesus is not using egeiro in the same sense that his challengers used it; but rather he uses it in its normal sense of meaning raise. So this word cannot legitimately be transferred to other resurrection statements to mean rebuild into an immortal after one has stood up as a mortal in the resurrection. Although the word egeiro does not indicate whether the raising is to mortal or immortal life, it certainly does have the meaning of to raise. Jesus demonstrated this meaning when bringing forth the dead Lazarus from the grave (John 12:1). JESUS WAS RAISED IMMORTAL ON THE THIRD DAY In the classic passage about Christian resurrection Paul stated that: if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen (1 Cor. 15:12, 13). Paul stated later in that chapter in verse 52 that the dead will be raised incorruptible. So, because such incorruptibility is part of immortality, Jesus clearly was raised immortal. This is also clear from the timing of the angelic statement to Mary that: [Jesus] is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay (Matt. 28:1). This was on the same day as the resurrection of Jesus and so he was immortal by this time because the dead will be raised incorruptible. So the idea that Jesus did not become immortal until the 5 th day is false to the Scripture record. He was not partly resurrected on the 3 rd day. In fact, we learn that he was:

2 2....declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead (Rom. 1:4). With power is one of the facets of imperishability and immortality according to 1 Corinthians 15. So the fact that the cause of Jesus being the Son of God with power was his resurrection from the dead must logically mean that it was a resurrection to immortality. This made Jesus the firstfruits of the dead because: now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep (1 Cor. 15:20). If Christ was not raised immortal then he could not have been the first fruits because others were raised mortal before him. Christian Resurrection Is Not Exactly the Same as Resurrections in the Bible Record Whether someone is brought back to life as mortal, as in the case of Lazarus, or as immortal, as in the case of Jesus; it is always a physical resurrection. Nevertheless, both Jesus resurrection and the future resurrection of Christians is a better resurrection (Heb. 11:35) than those resurrections in the Bible record. The writer to the Hebrews comments on this that: Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection (Heb. 11:35). This better resurrection was clearly to be in the future, and Jesus was the first of that better resurrection. So F.F.Bruce states in his commentary The Epistle to the Hebrews: The resurrection to which they looked forward was better than that to which the boys of Zarephath and Shunem had been raised by Elijah and Elisha. Those boys were restored to mortal life, and in due course died; the resurrection for which the Maccabaean martyrs hoped was a resurrection to endless life. p. 326 This was the resurrection faithful king David anticipated when he said: As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness (Ps. 17:15). It would be very disappointing for David if he awoke to normal mortality. He would have expected the better resurrection because of worthiness (Luke 20:35). The Better Resurrection Is First Although there were resurrections to mortality recorded in the Bible, the main time of such resurrections will be after the Millennium is completed; whereas the resurrection of Christians to immortality is to be at the beginning of the Millennium: And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord (1 Thess. 4:16, 17). But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years (Rev. 20:5, 6). Sown Not Sprouted This argument is that the Greek word speiro used in 1 Corinthians is in the passive voice and so means sprouted, rather than in the active voice as meaning sown in all translations: It is sown (Gk. speiro) in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body (1 Cor. 15:43, 44). This detail is appealed to in an attempt to show that the resurrected person sprouts in dishonour, weakness and with a natural mortal body and is later rebuilt in glory, power and with an immortal spiritual body. However, no lexicon supports this view and all translations render this as in the active voice sown.

3 3 Furthermore, Paul is contrasting the body of the Christian now with what he shall have when coming forth from the grave. For the Christian the Judgment Seat Is Not for the Granting of Immortality Here the reasoning is that no Christian can be granted immortality until he/she has been judged, but that this judgment is to occur from the time of resurrection and so they must be raised mortal first. This is supposedly supported by Paul s words to the Corinthians: For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad (2 Cor. 5:10). However, there is nothing here to prove that all Christians will judged at this seat for the granting of immortality. Furthermore, the judgment of Christians began long ago: JUDGMENT OF CHRISTIANS BEGAN IN THE 1 ST CENTURY ONWARD For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? (1 Pet. 4:17). So each Christian is being judged throughout his or her lifetime once they become part of the household of God. So Jesus already knows the character and worthiness of each Christian who will appear before him at resurrection time, and therefore they do not need to appear for any judgment in the court of assize sense. As Jesus said, the Christian shall not come into judgment : I [Jesus] say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life (John 5:24). There is no reason to imagine that this is proleptic. The Christian, because of his faith, has already passed from being in Adam, because of the death sentence incurred by Adam, and into life in Christ. So provided the Christian stays in Christ he remains forgiven and judged favourably, as shown when the writer to the Hebrews quoted Jeremiah 31:33, 34: This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them, then He adds, Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more (Heb 10:16-17). The Christian is already in the New Covenant. So for Jesus to begin to judge the worthiness of his brothers and sisters after their resurrection would be a breaking of the covenant. Indeed the position of a faithful Christian is secure: If we confess our sins, He [God] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name s sake (1 John 2:12). And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life (Phil. 4:3). Additionally, because each faithful Christian has his/her name written in heaven, they are unconditionally (other than leaving God) promised the crown of life, and will sit on thrones. So the objective is not to have ones name enrolled in heaven, but rather to not have it blotted out. Appearing at the Judgment Seat Is for Rewards Jesus made is perfectly clear that the judgment seat is for the purpose of rewarding Christians according to how good their work has been: for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just (Luke 14:14). The Expositor s Bible Commentary states regarding the judgment seat of Christ :

4 4 The person then scrutinized will then receive an equitable and full recompense ( what is due him ) Appearance before Christ s tribunal is the privilege of Christians. It is concerned with the assessment of works and, indirectly of character, not with the determination of destiny; with reward, not status. Vol.10 p ONE RECEIVES A REWARD NOT THE REWARD Jesus spoke of the grading of rewards according to ones works of faith (Luke 19:17-19). Such rewards will be given to the faithful Christian irrespective of certain failures: Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one s work, of what sort it is. If anyone s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire (1 Cor. 3:12-15). So it is the work of the faithful Christian that will be assessed by Jesus. His/her salvation is already assured even though he/she must experience tribulation and remain faithful. Misunderstanding of Romans 8:11, 2 Corinthians 4:11 and 5:4 So what of the use of these texts in an attempt to establish the view that Christians are first resurrected as mortals and only later granted immortality? Romans 8:11: [God] who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also, through the Spirit that dwells in you (NAB). With this passage there is a wrong assumption that the mortal bodies of Christians mentioned here are to be in evidence after the resurrection. However, this passage is clearly speaking about existing Christians who are living prior to their resurrection at which time their mortal bodies will be given life by being changed to imperishable and immortal according to the details in 1 Corinthians 15: Corinthians 4:11: For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. Based on the faulty assumption that Jesus was resurrected mortal, it was then imagined by that Christians will be resurrected with mortal flesh. However, because the assumption is wrong as shown above, then the explanation is also wrong. The plain meaning of this verse is that Christians should live their lives [present mortal flesh], even risking death, in such a way as to reflect the life that Jesus lived on earth. This was Paul s experience (Gal. 2:20). So 2 Corinthians 4:11 gives no reference to any post-resurrection mortal flesh. 2 Corinthians 5:4: For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life (2 Cor. 5:4). Again the mortality spoken of here is not a post-resurrection mortality but a present mortality because they are those who are groaning in this tent now. The words of verse 1 show that if the current tent is destroyed i.e. by death, then for the Christian there will be: a house not made with hands when he or she is resurrected. No other mortal tent or house is mentioned. No new mortal body is ever spoken of in the Scriptures such would be unnecessary. It Is the Dead Who Are Raised Immortal A further tinkering with Greek grammar to support this wrong view of the resurrection body concerns the Greek phrase poioo de in Paul s description of resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15:35: How are the dead raised up? And with what (Gk. poioo de) body do they come?

5 5 The poor argument that the dative case for poioo de does not mean with, but to or for holds no water because in most cases it does mean with throughout the New Testament according to context. Certainly, the lexicons all show that the context of verse 35 indicates that with is the right choice as is evident in all translations of the Scriptures. The rest of this passage gives a very clear picture that Christians will be resurrected immortal: So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory. O Death, where is your sting. O Hades, where is your victory? (1 Cor. 15:42-44, 50-55). IMMORTAL FROM THE MOMENT JESUS APPEARS Because, as shown earlier, there is no reason to imagine that Jesus was first raised as a mortal and then became immortal some days later, there is no reason to imagine that Christians will first be raised as mortal and only later granted immortality. The resurrection of Christians will be just as with the resurrection of Jesus:...we know that when He [Jesus] is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is (1 John 3:2b). Christians Must Be Resurrected Immortal As well as the direct statement by Paul that, the dead will be raised incorruptible. (1 Cor. 15:52), Jesus stated that; those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection (Luke 20:35, 36). And then in John s vision of things concerning the first resurrection we read: Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years (Rev. 20:6). There is no indication in these verses that there is any kind of gap between the resurrection of Christians and their receiving of immortality or of any withholding of immortality from any faithful Christian. If Jesus says: nor can they die anymore and in the Revelation John writes that the second death has no power over resurrected Christians, there is no reason to imagine that they have to wait for that to become their situation. Indeed, because they are already blessed and holy at the time of resurrection there is no reason for them not to be granted immortality immediately.